Catalyst
by HopelessOwls
Summary: Zuko and Katara's sparring match takes an interesting turn.


**Authors Notes: Look at me not writing my multichapter fic that was supposed to be updated a month and a half ago. Oh well. I really like writing Zutara. Please review!(:**

**Dislcaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

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Zuko looked up from the sparking fire and saw Katara standing half in the shadows. He was surprised as he watched her sit down next to him. They still weren't very close, even though she supposedly forgave him.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Couldn't sleep?"

"I never can when the moon is full," she answered quietly. Zuko nodded, his eyes flicking toward the bright orb in the sky.

"What about you?" she asked.

Zuko shrugged one shoulder. "Nightmare," he said shortly, not wanting to go into details.

"What about?"

Zuko winced and ran a hand through his shaggy hair. He had had a dream about his mother and father, or more specifically, his father laughing at him while his mother ran away from something and Zuko tried to follow, crying out to her.

Katara noticing his reaction, quickly said, "Sorry, I don't mean to pry. You don't have to tell me."

Zuko glanced sideways at her and saw her contrite expression. "No, it's ok…I just -" Zuko took a deep breath, "It was about my mother," he whispered.

Understanding and sadness filled Katara's expression, but no pity, which Zuko was grateful for. He hated pity. "I hate those dreams," Katara told him, shifting her eyes to the fire in front of them.

Zuko nodded. He sometimes forgot that Katara knew exactly how Zuko felt, that she understood the pain he went through and the dreams he had.

They fell silent, each thinking their own thoughts. Zuko fiddled with his hands and occasionally glanced at Katara. Her hair was down and messy. Zuko liked her hair like that; it was so curly, so different than the hair of women in the Fire Nation, which was straight as straw. Her dark brown curls shifted with the slight breeze that moved through the open Air Temple.

Zuko's eyes moved down, over her prominent collarbone and ample chest, down to her hands which absently picked at her frayed clothes. He marveled at her smooth skin, so warm and inviting, and such a contrast from his pale flesh.

Zuko blinked and turned his eyes back to the fire, flushing slightly. What was wrong with him, staring at Katara like that? They were hardly even friends. But Zuko couldn't stop thinking about how soft she had felt when she hugged him the other day, or the look in her eyes when she pulled away.

Zuko's mind wandered even further back, to that day in the catacombs under Ba Sing Se. He could still feel the distant warmth of her palm on his scar, the soft brushing of her thumb on his lips. He had wanted to kiss her that day, as stupid as it sounded, wanted to know what her lips would feel on his.

He was glad he hadn't though. She probably would have punched him in the face. And it probably would've been a lot harder to earn her forgiveness if she added molestation to her lists of grievances with him.

"Do you want to spar?" Katara asked suddenly, her voice jerking Zuko from his thoughts. He stared at her, shocked at the sudden request. They had never sparred before, only fought for real.

Zuko watched blood rush to Katara's round cheeks. "I only thought that, maybe, you'd want to, because, well, neither of us can sleep and it – it's the full moon, and I always like to train during the full moon –" she stumbled over her words, her blush growing deeper as Zuko stayed silent.

"Sure."

Katara's mouth popped open and she blinked. "Um, o-okay then." She stood up, smoothing her hands over her clothes. "Let me change."

Zuko raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He waited until she came back and stood up. Zuko's eyes widened as he took in her new outfit – or more specifically, her lack of one. She was wearing nothing more the wrappings she used as underwear.

Zuko cleared his throat, and glanced away. "So, uh, where do you want to do this?" There wasn't a lot of room in the actual Air Temple for sparring and it was too dark for them to go out to the place where Zuko and Aang normally trained.

"I know a place," she said, turning around. Zuko followed her as they walked deeper into the depths of the temple. While Toph and Aang had fun exploring the place, Zuko never really had, instead preferring to stay on the upper levels of the complex.

They walked until they found a wide room that was empty, save for two twin canals of water on either side of the floor. Zuko turned around in a circle, taking in the dull stone walls and the moss that grew between the blocks of rock that made up the floor. Katara closed the heavy door and Zuko raised an eyebrow at her. She shrugged. "I don't want to wake the others," was her only explanation.

Zuko said nothing and pulled his shirt over his head. He was already dressed in his loose pants that he usually sparred in. Katara walked around him, not looking at him until she stood about 15 feet away. She took a defensive position and he mirrored her.

He felt a trickle of apprehension go down his spine. He would be lying if he said she hadn't scared him a little after her display of power on their little quest to find her mother's murderer.

Zuko stood still for a moment more. "Are you going to attack or not?" Katara called out to him.

"Ladies' first," he yelled back, smirking.

He watched her roll her eyes. She raised her hands and water rose from the canals and sailed straight for him. He blasted fire and before the water had time to evaporate completely, he sent a fire ball straight at her head. She dodged easily and sent another attack at him. They exchanged a few more blows, each testing each other's strength before the attacks started getting stronger and faster.

Soon, the walls of the room were scorched from Zuko's fire and the floor was soaked. Zuko was panting and sweating as he sent two streams of fire at Katara, who flicked her hands and froze them, the fire- ice shattering on the floor. She blasted water at his chest, knocking him to the ground. Zuko kicked an attack at her and flipped back up, creating a wave of fire. Katara pushed water out and blocked his attacks before throwing ice daggers aimed at Zuko's chest.

They continued sparring, attacking each other like they would in a real battle. He could see the difference in her waterbending, so much stronger under the full moon. They fought until Zuko felt the sun rise, felt the pull of the sun under his skin. He knew Katara could feel it too, her moon and her strength fading. She didn't stop attacking though.

Zuko smirked as her attacks weakened and his grew stronger. She noticed his advantage, and moved closer, making it harder for him to aim at her. Firebending was easier when the target was at a distance.

She continued to close in on him, zigzagging away from his fire blasts and sending water whips at his legs, trying to trip him up. Zuko backed up, trying to put some distance between them. His attacks were growing more desperate, though he made sure to never to make his fire too hot or too harsh; he didn't want to actually hurt her.

Zuko was surprised when he suddenly felt Katara slam into him and his back hit the stone floor. His eyes bugged out as she grinned snidely while straddling him and attempted to pin him down. He fought against her grip, trying to use his superior weight and height against her.

He twisted his leg around her hip and flipped them so that she was on his back and her hips were trapped under his. He grabbed her wrists and held them above her head. He smirked down at her, flicking sweaty hair out of his eyes.

"I win," he told her smugly. Katara glared at him, though a smile was tugging at the corner of her full, pink lips. Zuko's gaze locked onto those lips and he felt the same urge he had felt in the catacombs, the insane desire to find out if they were as soft as they looked. Zuko leaned down, close enough to feel her breath on his mouth.

He looked back up and saw Katara's bright blue eyes trained on mouth. Before he could think about it anymore and without thinking about the consequences, Zuko pressed his mouth to hers in a soft kiss.

Katara pressed her body up against him after a moment of shock, kissing him back. Zuko let go of her wrists and opened his mouth slightly and let the tip of his tongue sweep against her lips. She gasped quietly and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

Zuko deepened the kiss, their lips sliding together hotly. Zuko groaned into her, fisting one hand into her long hair. He could feel himself growing harder and he pressed his hips into hers, smiling a little when she jerked against him.

Zuko moved his lips to her throat, kissing her pulse and sucking at the brown skin while she ran her hands through his ebony hair. Zuko pressed down, grinding his hips into hers and listening to her moan against him.

Katara's hand moved down to cup his scar and her hips jerked up. Zuko shivered at her touch on his scarred skin and the heat against his groin. He covered her mouth with his and kissed her hard enough to bruise both of their lips. Katara tasted like snow and something sweeter, and it was a taste Zuko knew he would be addicted to after this.

Zuko bit her bottom lip lightly and dragged one hand down her bare stomach and hip, grabbing her leg under the knee and hitching it over his hip. He pressed his tongue into her mouth, dragging it over her teeth and pressing it against hers. Katara's lips moved against his almost desperately while she squirmed under him as he rocked his hips against her.

Without warning the heavy door banged open and Zuko's head snapped up so fast it was painful. Katara twisted around to look at who had interrupted them and Zuko's eyes widened as he met the angry glare from Sokka and the jealous, mournful stare from Aang. Toph was grinning and staring sightlessly.

"GET THE HELL OFF MY SISTER!" Sokka yelled, waving his hands widely and striding into the room. He didn't get very far though, because Toph grabbed the back of his tunic and pulled him back out.

"Get some, Sparky," she called as the door closed again.

Zuko blushed and looked down at Katara, who was giggling. "What?" he asked cautiously.

"Sokka's going to kill you," she laughed, covering her mouth with one hand and her electric blue eyes filled with mirth. Zuko stared at her for a second, before smiling and chuckling with her. He moved her hand away and brushed her swollen lips with his. She laughed again as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him down for another passionate kiss.

Zuko wished he had kissed Katara in the catacombs under Ba Sing Se.


End file.
